Adjustable head and shoulder rest

ABSTRACT

An adjustable head and shoulder rest is disclosed which is intended primarily for supporting the body while lying face down. A head or face rest consisting of three distinctly separate, removable and movable members providing a near unlimited number of variations of open areas for the eyes, nose and mouth, together with movable right and left shoulder support members permitting adjustment to different body dimensions and allowing proper weight distribution, ease of breathing and body comfort.

United States Patent 1 Eary, Sr.

[ Oct. 21, 1975 l l ADJUSTABLE HEAD AND SHOULDER REST George DanielEary, Sr., Rte 6, Box 264, Hagerstown. Md, 2l740 [76] Inventor:

[22] Filed: Aug. 26, 1974 [2]] Appl. No: 500,723

[52] U.S. Cl. 5/327 [Sll Int. Cl. A47C 21/00 [58] Field ofSearch.i,,.....,.. 5/327, 327 B, 338, 337, 5/70, 66; 297/391, 4l0, 392;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,l40,497 7/[964 Carswell5/338 3,828,377 8/1974 Fary, Sr, 5/338 Primary Examiner-Paul R. GilliamAssistant Examiner-K. Downey [57] ABSTRACT An adjustable head andshoulder rest is disclosed which is intended primarily for supportingthe body while lying face downv A head or face rest consisting of threedistinctly separate, removable and movable members providing a nearunlimited number of varia tions of open areas for the eyes, nose andmouth, together with movable right and left shoulder support memberspermitting adjustment to different body dimensions and allowing properweight distribution, ease Of breathing and body comfort,

4 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures I U.S. Patent 0.21, 1975 Sheet10f23,913,155

US. Patent 0.21,1975 Sheet20f2 3,913,155

FIG. 8

FIG. l2

ADJUSTABLE HEAD AND SHOULDER REST BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Fieldof the Invention This invention relates to a support for the upper partof the body. More particularly it relates to a device which enables oneto lie comfortably face-down wherein the head and shoulders are cradledin a manner providing for a comfortable distribution of weight and whichenables easy, unrestricted breathing.

Many individuals have difficulty in sleeping or resting comfortably in aface-down position. This may be required during surgery or in postoperation recovery. This mode of repose is helpful to ladies who havehad their hair coiffeured and who wish to preserve the results of theirvisit to the beauty parlor as long as possible. Likewise, sleeping facedown would avoid any discomfort due to the presence of hair curlers. Inaddition, sunbathers will find this invention useful.

2. Description of Prior Art A number of devices have been patented whichare stated to enable one to lie face down in comfort. While thesedevices do enable one to lie face down ina greater degree of comfortthan they would have in their absence, they are either not adjustable totake care of differing body dimensions or the desires of the occu pant,or are adjustable in a limited manner, or else do not properly supportthe head and shoulders in the best possible manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention consists of a base supporthaving attached thereto a pair of spaced apart resilient shouldersupports which may be adjusted laterally and longitudinally relative toeach other end to the base support, allowing the distance between thebase support and the shoulder supports to be varied. Fastened to thebase and spaced longitudinally from the shoulder supports andequidistant therefrom is a resilient face support consisting of threeseparate rests or movable members providing a near unlimited number ofvariations of open areas for the eyes, nose and mouth. Also, the facesupport may be tilted about an axis parallel to the base and may beraised and lowered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodimentof the body rest.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of rests 4 and along line AA of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of rests 4 and 5 along line AA of FIG. 1showing one of many possible alternate positions of rests 4 and 5.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of rest 3 along line B-B of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are plan views of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1illustrating two of many possible positions of rests 3, 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of embodiment of FIG. 1 showing only the supportstructure of 2, 8 and 9.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view along line C-C of FIG. 7 showing attachmentof shoulder rests 6 and 7 to the body rest base 2.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along line D-D of FIG. 7 showing attachmentof support members 8 and 9 to the body rest base 2.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view along line E-E of FIG. I showing attachmentof rest 4 to support structure 9. (view is rotated FIG. 11 is asectional view along line FF of FIG. 12 showing another embodiment ofthe head rest portion.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of another embodiment of the adjustable head andshoulder rest.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a head and shoulderrest designated generally as l, which has a base 2. Base 2 is made offlat and relatively thin material having sufficient rigidity to serve asa support for the head support elements to be attached thereon. Suitablematerials for this purpose may be aluminum or other sheet metal,plywood, composition board, various resin-fiber glass laminates, etc.Attached to base 2 at its rearward portion are shoulder rests 6 and 7,attached by members l4, l4. Near the middle of base 2 are mountedresilient face supports 3, 4 and 5 and fastened to their undersides arerigid and relatively thin bases l9, l9 and 22 respectively which may beof the same composition as base 2. Shoulder rests 6 and 7 as well asface rests 3, 4 and 5 are made from a resilient material such as foamrubber, polyurethane foam or padding, for example, and may be covered bycloth or plastic. Alternatively, they may be made of inflatable bladdersof suitable configuration which can be blown up prior to use. Suchbladders may be inflated with air or hot or cold liquids to the desiredfirmness and temperature.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are sectional views of rests 4 and 5 along line AA of FIG.1 and illustrate their somewhat primoidal shape which exists for thelength of each rest. FIG. 3 also shows one of many alternate positionsof rests 4 and 5, readily allowed by attachment methods of the rests.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of rest 3 along line 8-8 of FIG. 1 and showsa notched area, 24, which is configured to receive the forehead of theuser.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are plan views of face rests 3, 4 and 5 showing two ofmany alternate positions of each rest, relative to each other rest.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing structuremembers 2, 8 and 9 (all rests are omitted for clarity) and whenconsidered in conjunction with FIG. 8 taken along line C-C of FIG. 7 themethod of attaching shoulder rests 6 and 7 becomes apparent. When thumbscrew 20 is loosened, shoulder attachment 14 can be positioned alonglongitudinal axis of base 2 and/or rotated about thumb screw 20 and/orpositioned latterally relative to base 2, providing the capability ofchanging the distance between rests 6 and 7 and/or changing the distanceof either/or both rests 6 and 7 relative to the head rest which ismounted on base 2. When the users desired relative positioning of thehead and shoulder rests is complete and thumb screw 20 is tightened intonut 23, star washer I6 is embedded into both shoulder attachment l4 andbase 2, firmly holding the desired positions. Flat washer 11 is providedto prevent the head of thumb screw 20 from passing through the slot inattachment 14. FIG. 8 shown for the right side is also typical for theleft side.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along line D-D of FIG. 7 showing attachmentof members 8 and 9 to base 2 and support face rests 3, 4 and 5. Theheighth of the face rests may be adjusted by placing'thumb screw 10 inthe desired hole in 9 support member. The choice of holes are identifiedwith 25. FIG, 9 shows left side only but is similar to the right side offace rest supports 8 and 9. Flat washers l3 and spring clip 12 assurethat support 9 and thumb screw 10 move simultaneously in the desireddirection, allowing the distance between rests 4 and to be varied byturning each of two thumb screws in to close or out to spread the legsof the U shaped face support member 9.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view along line EE of FIG. 1 showing only theattachment of face rest 4 to support structure 9. (view is rotated 180)This method of attachment is typical for face rests 3 and 5 also. Whenwing-nut 21 is loosened, face rest 4 may be moved laterally relative tobase 2 and/or rotated as shown in FIG. 6, moving within slot b insupport 9 shown in FIG. 7. Similarly, face rest 3 may be moved in twoslots a, and face rest 5 may be moved or rotated within slot 0 ofsupport 9 as shown in FIG. 7. When desired open areas have been producedby above mentioned procedure for the eyes, nose and mouth, the facerests are secured by tightening the four wing-nuts 21.

FIG. 12 is another embodiment of the adjustable head and shoulder restshowing a base 18 made of similar material as base 2 and with sameshoulder rest at tachment provisions as shown in FIG. 1. Head rest 17 ispermanently fixed to base 18 as by an adhesive or glueing, and istapered from approximately one inch thickness at right and left edges toapproximately two inches of thickness at the center, holding thesedimensions laterally or from top to bottom as shown in FIG. 11. Headrest 17 may be made of same materials as is used in 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7,all of which are shown generally to be rectangular, but other shapes maybe employed as well. The thickness of rests 6 and 7 would be from threeinches to seven inches generally, in both embodiments. The embodiment ofFIG. 12 is intended only for placing the head on the right or left side.

What is claimed:

1. An adjustable rest for the head and shoulder of the human bodycomprising:

a. a base member,

b. a pair of laterally spaced apart resilient shoulder support membershaving adjustable attaching means, said attaching means rotatablyconnecting said shoulder support members for movement relative to eachother and to said base member, whereby said shoulder members areadjustably spaced from each other and from said base member and adaptedto support the shoulders of said human body in a predetermined position,

c. a rotatable face support member having separate interconnectedmovable members comprising, at least, one for the head, one for the leftcheek extending below the chin, and a similar one for the right cheekalso extending below the chin,

d. said rotatable face support members being rotatably attached to saidbase member and spaced longitudinally and generally about equidistantfrom each of the shoulder members, so that the head and shoulders ofsaid human body is comfortably supported by said face and shouldersupport members,

e. said face support members adapted to provide a variation of openareas adaptable to receive the eyes, nose and/or mouth of a human faceby adjusting said face support members,

f. said face adjusting attaching means comprising means to raise orlower said face support members and permitting a rotational movement ofsaid face support members about, at least, a transverse axis extendingparallel to said base member, and

g. means for varying the lateral distance between said cheek members.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more or the resilient supportmembers has an inflatable bladder core of rubber, plastic, or the likeand adapted to be inflated to various sizes thereof.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said core is provided with a suitablecover of polyurethane or the like.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the head support membercomprises two tapered sides, whereby either of said tapered sides may beused to support the head.

1. An adjustable rest for the head and shoulder of the human bodycomprising: a. a base member, b. a pair of laterally spaced apartresilient shoulder support members having adjustable attaching means,said attaching means rotatably connecting said shoulder support membersfor movement relative to each other and to said base member, wherebysaid shoulder members are adjustably spaced from each other and fromsaid base member and adapted to support the shoulders of said human bodyin a predetermined position, c. a rotatable face support member havingseparate interconnected movable members comprising, at least, one forthe head, one for the left cheek extending below the chin, and a similarone for the right cheek also extending below the chin, d. said rotatableface support members being rotatably attached to said base member andspaced longitudinally and generally about equidistant from each of theshoulder members, so that the head and shoulders of said human body iscomfortably supported by said face and shoulder support members, e. saidface support members adapted to provide a variation of open areasadaptable to receive the eyes, nose and/or mouth of a human face byadjusting said face support members, f. said face adjusting attachingmeans comprising means to raise or lower said face support members andpermitting a rotational movement of said face support members about, atleast, a transverse axis extending parallel to said base member, and g.means for varying the lateral distance between said cheek members. 2.The device of claim 1, wherein one or more or the resilient supportmembers has an inflatable bladder core of rubber, plastic, or the likeand adapted to be inflated to various sizes thereof.
 3. The device ofclaim 2 wherein said core is provided with a suitable cover ofpolyurethane or the like.
 4. The device according to claim 1, whereinthe head support member comprises two tapered sides, whereby either ofsaid tapered sides may be used to support the head.